Angelina sheriff re-opening 13-year-old death case

ANGELINA COUNTY, TX (KTRE) -

The family of a man who died 13 years ago in Huntington is hoping that the new Angelina County Sheriff and a fresh set of eyes digging into Corey Wood's old case file will answer some lingering questions.

Woods died at his house September 28, 1999 of a single gun shot wound to the head and Angelina County investigators ruled it a suicide.

But Corey's family disagrees, they say there are suspicious circumstances surrounding his death and they have found evidence to supporting their theory that Corey's death was not a suicide, including a new autopsy report.

Corey wood's family has hope. After 13 years… their questions might be answered. The new Angelina County Sheriff Greg Sanches has confirmed he will re-open the Corey Wood case.

Sanches said, "We are willing to open up the case, open the case back up and look into that, have our investigators look into it and possibly some outside investigators as well."

Corey's sister, Darci Holloway says they want some closure.

Holloway, "It's has been 13 years, a long 13 years and we are ready for justice and our family needs peace."

Sanches says Corey's family has done a lot behind the scenes and their discoveries have raised some questions.

Sanches said, "The autopsy and things they had done put a lot of question marks on that case so that's why I think it need to be looked into."

Last May, Corey's mother, Joy Brunner had his body exhumed for a new autopsy hoping his death would be ruled something other than suicide but nothing prepared the for what they did learn.

Holloway said, "Well we found out that 4 of his bones were stolen."

The forensic pathologist who did the 2nd autopsy ruled Corey's death: undetermined and that reinforced the family's drive to get answers.

Holloway says that "the days leading up to his death were not depression. It wasn't anything consistent of a suicide."

His family said he made plans, set dates, bought new tires, in fact…Corey's mother, Joy Brunner said, "We just know that Corey got a $10 a day raise and a promotion that day."

Corey's grandmother, Yvonne Marshall says Corey called her the night before he died.

Marshall said, "He was excited about his raise. He was excited about going to breakfast with a girl the next morning, he was going to come by my house that morning."

But he never made it.

Sanches said, "There's been a lot of doubt from residents out there in that area and that community about whether it was a suicide or not."

The family says for 13 years they have been trying to get answer from Angelina County and their lack of transparency has made them even more suspicious.

"I just think that they went in and said suicide and didn't do anything else," Holloway said. "All we got was more questions, it has been never ending for 13 year. We have never given up on this."

Sanches says with so many members of the public coming up to him asking questions about this case, he has an obligation to open it up.

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